Combined pool cover and sun screen



Nov. 21, 1961 s. E. SEARS 3,009,166

COMBINED POOL COVER AND SUN SCREEN Filed Feb. 2l, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Nov. 21, 1961 s. E. SEARS COMBINED Poor. covER AND sUN SCREEN 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2l, 1958 /r/G. Z

1NvENToR. .S4/f7 B52-mes S. E. SEARS COMBINED POOL COVER AND SUN SCREENNov. 21, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 2l, 1958 INVENTOR. .5M/15554,?.1'.

BY i

,4free/Vix United States Patent 3,009,166 COMBINED POSL COVER AND SUNSCREEN Sam E. Sears, 327 S. Hope St., Los Angeles, Calif. Filed Feb. 21,1958, Ser. No. 716,782 14 Claims. (Cl. 4-172) This invention relates toswimming pool accessories, and one of the objects of the invention is toprovide simple means for establishing a shaded area at, or over thepool.

It is a fact that when there are deciduous trees in the vicinity of aswimming pool, the leaves from the trees nd their way into the poolwhere they may discolor the water and render the pool uninviting. Suchlleaves may also nd their Way into the pools outlets, necessitatingtheir removal from the pool.

Open pools also are dangerous to small children who may fall into themwhen unattended. In fact, occasionally drownings of young children inpools have been reported.

Hence, another object of the invention is to prov1de a protective coverfor such pools, mounted in such a way at the pool, that the cover can bemanipulated to enable it to function also as a sunshade or sun screen.

In accordance with the invention a cover is provided that normallyoverlies the pool at or near the ground line, and one of the objects ofthe invention is to provide a simple framing means at the -pool thatassists in shifting the cover to an elevated position in which it willplace an area of the pool in shade; and at the same time, will leave ladesirable clearance space where the swimmers may dive into the pool fromthe edge of the pool or from a diving board at the point on the apron ofthe pool.

yalso to provide several alternate power-means for effecting the desiredmovements of the cover.

Further objects of the invention will be evident from a careful readingof this specification, and a study of the accompanying drawing.

The invention consists in the novel parts and combinations of parts tobe described hereinafter, al1 of which contribute to produce an eicientcombined pool cover andl sun-screen.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the followingspecification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of a swimming pool provided .with equipmentembodying -rny invention, and in which the screen is represented assupported and guided on a rectilinear frame, on which the screen ispartially extended from a roller on which it can be wrapped.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic plan of a view showing the means employed foreffecting the extension of the screen when of flexible curtain type,from the roller on which it can be wrapped if desired.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary View which is a vertical section taken in theplane of the line 3 3v of FIGURE 1, to show the details of the guidingmeans employed for guiding the side edges of the screen along the sidebars of the screen frame.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section in the plane of the line 4 4 on FIGURE 2to illustrater the direction in which two of the mns of the endless cordor cable are wrapped upon the -roller on which the curtain type screenwill wrap upon its roller when the screen is not in use.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section in the plane of the line v5 5 on FIGURE 2and illustrates the direction in which the other two runs of the cord orcable are wrapped upon the curtain roller.

Ycause it to move down FIGURE 6 i-s a cross-section on the line 6-6 ofFIG- URE 10, in a vertical plane transverse to the pool and showing anembodiment of the invention in which an electric motor for raising arigid type of screen is mounted on one of the frame columns of theequipment. This view is broken away and illustrates cables and drumsupon which they wrap in raising the screen to a high level above thepool.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-section taken in the plane of the line 7-7 of FIGURE13 further illustrating a trolleytype carriage guided in one of theinclined guide bars of the framing equipment and which is shackled to arigid type screen to raise or lower it when desired.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical section in the plane of the line 8-3 of FIGURE 12illustrating the means preferably employed for locking the rigid typescreen adjacent the ground level when the pool is not in use.

FIGURE 9 is a perspective similar to FIGURE l illustrating an embodimentof the invention in which a rigid type screen may be used withcounterweight means capable of maintaining the screen in its raisedposition, and provided with a water receptacle carried bly the screen,which when full of water will inhibit the action of the counterbalancemeans and return the screen to the ground level.

vFIGURE 10 is a vertical section parallel with the longitudinal axis ofthe pool and yon the axis of one of the inclined guide bars. This viewcooperates with FIG- URE 6 to complete the disclosure of themotor-actuated means for raising and lowering the rigid-type screen,

FIGURE 11 is a vertical transverse section on the line 'l1- 11 of FIGURE12 illustrating a latch dev-ice for latching the rigid-type screen inits elevated position when it has been raised to that heightu FIGURE 12is a side elevation of the equipment using the hydraulic overbalancingmeans referred to in connection with FIGURE 9 and further illustratingthe details of piping and valves for the same that enable the water tobe drawn off the water receptacle when desired, to rev-ive the action ofthe counterbalancing means to return the screen and empty Waterreceptacle to their elevated position.

FIGURE 13 is a vertical section similar to FIGURE 10 in which the weightof the rigid-type screen is slightly overbalanced by counterweightspreferably concealed in one or more of the vertical columns at thepool-side. The amount by which the counterweights overbalance the weightof the screen should, or may be slight, thereby enabling the weight of aman hanging on the screen to to the ground level, where it can be lockeddown.

Referring new to the parts of the equipment as illustrated in FIGURES 1to 5 inclusive, along the long side of the coping 1 of the pool 2, Iprovide frame structure capable of supporting a flexible curtain-typescreen 3 the side edges 4 of which are doubled over, as at 5, afterbeing passed around a run 6a of an endless cord or cable 6. The twoplies that constitute the doubled edge 5 are connected together by twolines of stitches 7 (see FIG.r 3). In order to guide the edges 5 alongand within the side bars 8a of a rectilinear frame S'that supports thecurtaintype flexible screen 3, the side bars are of 3-sided boxform withthe open side toward the longitudinal axis of the frame 8, and betweenthe upper and lower walls of each side bar 8a two pads 9 are located.

These pads are of circular form in horizontal crosssection, and are eachsupported on centrally located pins 10 stepped in bosses welded to theinner faces of the horizontal side walls of the side bars 8a. The endfaces of the guide-pads 9 for the screen are made smooth and lie quiteclose to the face of the material at the edge of the screen, so as tohold the edges of the screen apart and guide them along the frame 8.

At the left end of the frame 8, pulleys 11 are mounted on central pins12, and the endless cords 6 pass around the pulleys 11 and pass back tothe other end of the frame 8. These return runs are free, `that is,unattached to the screen.

Still referring to FIGURES l and 2, at the right end of the frame 8 thefree runs 6b of the endless cords 6 are attached in the same manner topulleys 13 between two flanges 14, and of course, both of the endlessco-rds are attached to the pulleys in the same way. This is illustratedin FIGURES 4 and 5.

While both the cords pass under a horizontal guide pulley 15 from theunder side of which the cord 6a, for example, passes up to the upperside of its pulley 13 and the cord 6b passes to the under side of thesame pulley. While the cord 6 as referred to above, is an endless cord,of course, in practice, if desired, each of these cords could haveseparate ends at the pulleys if supplied with suflicient turns on thepulleys to supply cord for all of the extending movements of the cordfrom the pulleys. It is merely necessary to have the cords from each ofthe runs pass around their pulleys in opposite directions from eachother.

If the cord 6 is not an endless cord, of course, the wrapped ends of theseparate cords must be attached to the pulleys.

The pulleys 13 are concentric with a roller 16 which extendstransversely and carries a central shaft 17 which also carries thepulleys 13 on its ends that project beyond the ends of the roller. Ifdesired, the roller can be rotated by means of a crank on the end of theshaft 17 but as illustrated, in FIGURE l, an electric motor 18 may beprovided mounted on the side of the housing 20 for the roller 16,located at one side of the frame.

The shaft of the roller is supported at each end on upwardly extendingbrackets 21, respectively, one of which is shown in full lines inFIGURE 1. The lower ends of the brackets are supported on the side barsof the frame 8. The drive from the electric motor 18 is illustratedconventionally as including a sprocket chain 22 running over a sprocketwheel 23, as shown in FIGURE 2.

At intervals along the side bars 8a of the frame 8, bolts, such as thebolts 24 shown in FIGURE 3, are provided.

Framing is provided for raising the screen from the level of the pooland for supporting the screen in a raised position. In FIGURE l theframing illustrated comprises four columns 25 that may be stepped on thesill of the pool if Wide enough, or otherwise on some small blocks orpiers 26 alongside the sills of the pool. Two of these posts 25a orcolumns are located beyond an end sill 1a of the pool, and by this meansa considerable shaded area is established at 26, as shown on FIGURE l,at least when the sun is at a high altitude.

Any suitable means may be employed for raising the frame Sto an elevatedposition from the level of the sill 1. In order to guide the frame Sfrom its lower level to an elevated point, I prefer to employ gmide bars27 corresponding to each of the columns.

While the columns 25 are preferably of cylindrical form, the guide bars27 are preferably of box form similar to the form shown in FIGURE 3. Inthis instance, the open side of this box form guide is on the side 28that is toward the pool to permit short square studs 29 to project outfrom the side bars 8a of the frame, and the ends of these bars areattached to trolley form carriages of the type illustrated in FIGURE 13.In this instance, however, each carriage has two rollers that roll onthe bottom side 29 of the tbox-form arms. These rollers 30 are indicatedin dotted lines on FIGURE 1.

When this screen is applied to relatively small pools, the frame 8 maybe pulled up to its elevated position by one or two men who would seizethe right hand end of 4 the frame 8 shown in FIGURE 1, and exert ahorizontal pull upon the frame of sufficient force to cause the rollers30 to roll up the inclined frame bars 28. When the frame arrives at asufciently elevated position it will be automatically located there bymeans of one or more latches 31, the construction of which will bepresently described.

The pairs of columns 2S that are located opposite to each other areconnected by transverse brace bars 32 located at a slightly higher levelthan the upper face of the screen 3. If desired, however, an electricmotor 33 may be provided at the pair of columns that are located in amedial position along `the sides of the pool. This motor 33 should beprovided with a reduction gear 34 to drive a transverse shaft 35 at arelatively slow speed, and a pulley 35a within the upper ends of each ofthese two columns, a cord 36 ybeing attached to the trolley typecarriage with each of the two corresponding guide bars 27.

In the FIGURES 6 to 9 inclusive I illustrate another embodiment of theinvention in which the weight of a rigid screen 3a is provided withcounterbalancing means, as illustrated in FIGURE 13, that enables theweight of the rigid screen to be balanced by the weights in thecounterweight. This expedient enables the rigid screen 3a to be providedwith a receptacle 37 which when tilled with water from a water supplypipe 38 and a flexible rubber connection 39 provided with a Y-connection40, with two valves 41 and 42 in its branches; by lling the receptaclefrom the supply valve 41 the weight of the water therein will more thancounterbalance the weight in the counterweight and cause the screen tobe depressed. When the screen is almost down to its low level, and thevalve 41 having been shut off, the valve 42 can be opened and held atground level. As this occurs the water in the receptacle 37 will drainout as the screen is depressed by pushing down on its upper side.

In this embodiment of the invention the side bars 43 extending out fromthe sides of the screen connect up to trolley type carriages 44 to whichthe upper ends of the bars 43 are attached by upright brackets 45 toenable the trolleys to run up and down without friction in the inclinedside bars 46, as shown in detail in the section FIGURE 7.

'In the section FIGURE 13 a counterweight 46 with a number of individualweights 46a is illustrated. In FIGURE 13 the counterweight 46 isindicated as supported in a fall loop 47 with one run 47a of the looppassing up over a pulley 48 in the upper end of the column 25b, and itextends down in the inclined guide bar 49, and is attached to thetrolley carriage at its shackle 50.

The other end of this line 47 that constitutes the loop is attached to afixed anchor bracket 51 at that end of the column. The individualcounterweights 46a have radial slots 52 that enable them to be slid ontoa hanger bar 53, the upper end of which carries the pulley S4 that hangsin the loop. This loop type of hanger for the counterweight practicallydoubles the amount of movement that is imparted to the carriage thatcarries the shackle 50. When using this type of carriage the box-forminclined bar has a slot 55 in its bottom wall through which the uprightbracket 45 passes up to the trolley, as shown in FIGURE 7.

When the rigid screen 3a is located down to its lower level it may belocked in this position, for which two staples 56 may be provided,projecting up from the upper face of the sill of the pool (see FIGURES 8and 9).

When the screen 3a comes down to its lower level a slot S7 in aT-bracket S8 slides over each of these staples. They project high enoughup to have a padlock applied to the upper end of each staple.

In FIGURES 6 and 10 I illustrate another embodiment of the equipment inwhich an electric motor 60 drives a reduction gear 61, both mounted onan angle bracket secured on one of the columns 2SC, to drive two smalldrums 52.

On these drums cords or small cables wrap when the drums are rotated toraise the screen to a level where it is shown in FIGURE l0. A shaft 63spanning the distance between the pair of columns may have a coupling63a in it to enable either of the drums to operate the screen in casethe cord on the other drum is being replaced.

In reading FIGURE ll, showing one of the latches 31 that are used on twoor more of the columns, to maintain the screen in its elevated position,it will be noted that the latch bolt has a square head 64, and has aninclined bottom face 65 on its tip that is in the path of the edge 66 ofthe screen as it comes up tot the position in which the screen edge isbeing shown in dotted lines at 66a.

When Contact occurs the latch spring 67 is compressed, but snaps backunder the screen when it lifts slightly further.

A ring 68 attached to the rear end of the bolt enables the latch bolt tobe withdrawn, and functions also to keep the spring-loaded bolt intactwithin the latch casing.

-If the curtain-type screen is of heavy material a longitudinal rest-bar67 may be provided (see FIGURE 1). And it may be of inverted channelform with spaced rollers 68 mounted in the channel between its sideilanges.

Many other embodiments of this invention may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Let ters Patent:

1. An elongated rectangular swimming and diving pool, having a divingboard at one end of the same projecting toward the pool in combinationwith an awning frame having an awning of fabric material attached to theupper side of said frame, said frame being commensurate with thedimensions of said pool to enable the frame to lie at the ground leveland completely to cover the area of the pool, thereby excluding fallingleaves from entering the pool, a plurality of inclined guide membersextending up from the ground level at the sides of the pool and isparallel relation to each other, Said frame having side bars with studsprojecting outwardly therefrom, and guided on said inclined guidemembers; and means for applying force to said members to force them upsaid guide members, and elevate the frame and awning, therebywithdrawing the end fof the said frame from the end of the pool, therebyproviding a clearance space for the movement of a diver diving into thepool from said diving board.

2. A combined protective cover and screen member for a pool according toclaim 1, including an awning that is opaque and capable of excludingdirect sunlight from passing through it to an area of the pool at alower level than the awning.

f3. `In a combined protective cover and sun screen for a swimming poolor the like, according to claim 1, including a roller supported on saidframe and extending transversely across the pool, a flexible screen thatis wider than the pool and overlaps the opposite side walls of the same,and capable of wrapping on said roller.

4. A combined protective cover and screen for shading an area of aswimming pool, the combination of a screen member including a ilexiblecurtain, a transverse roller with means for supporting the same at anelevated position, said roller having a pulley adjacent each endthereof; endless cords secured respectively to said pulleys andextending along -and adjacent each side of the pool, each of saidendless cords having an inner run toward the pool and an outer runspaced laterally from the inner run, and with a guide pulley associatedwith each endless cord, and toward the end of the pool remote from theroller about which the endless cords pass, means yfor supporting andguiding the edges of said screen adjacent the said in- 6 ner runs of thecords, means for securing the side edges of said screen to the innerruns of said endless cords, thereby supporting the screen from the sameand means for eiecting the rotation of said roller to extend the screento any desired distance with relation to the area of the pool.

5. A combined cover and screen, according to claim 4, including asupporting bar at the `level of the side edges of the screen, extendinglongitudinally with the length of the pool for supporting the middleportion of said screen as it is drawn off from the roller, and locatedat an inter mediate line along the length of the pool; said bar havinganti-friction rollers on its upper side -for supporting the screen andfor easing its movements when being extended from the roller, or beingreturned to the roller.

6. A combined protective cover and screen for a swimming pool, accordingto claim 4, in which the guiding means for the said inner run of theendless cords include pulley units, each including an upper pulleylocated above the edge portion of the screen and a lower pulley disposedbelow the edge portion of the screen, the faces of said pulleys beingspaced so as to define a guide space for the edge of the screen betweenthe same.

7. A protective cover and screen for a swimming pool, according to claim4, including a horizontal frame on which the said screen is mounted,said frame having side bars in which the said guide pulleys are mounted,and including inclined guide bars of channel form cross-section,extending upwardly from the ground line at two points on each side oflthe pool, said inclined guide bars being parallel with each other; andcarriages with pulleys guided in the inclined guide bars respectively,with means yconnecting the same with the adjacent side bars -of theframe: a motor with means connecting the same to said carriages formoving the same up or down in said inclined guide members to raise orlower the said frame with relation to the ground line.

8. A cover and sun-screen for a swimming pool according to claim 7, inwhich the said screen has side bars of angular cross-section, and meansassociated with the angular side bars for effecting the locking down ofthe screen adjacent the ground level.

9. In a protective cover apparatus for a swimming pool. the combinationof upright columns disposed respectively on each side of the pool, andsupported at the ground line, inclined guide bars supported on theground line and connected at their upper ends to the adjacent sides ofsaid columns, said inclined parallel guide members having slots on theirunder sides respectively, a cover for the pool located over the pool inthe space between the side columns, and normally located adjacent theground line, trol ley-form carriages located respectively in theinclined guide members having shackles extending down through said slotswith their lower portions off-set toward the sides of said cover andattached to the same, said carriages having antidriction rollers ridingon the lower walls of said inclined guide members and pivotallyconnected to said shackles; pulleys rotatably mounted in said columnsadjacent their junction with the inclined guide members with cordswrapped upon them, means `for anchoring the ends of said cords `on saidcarriages, and means for rotating said pulleys to lift the cover to anelevated position above the surface of the pool.

10. Cover apparatus for a swimming pool, according to claim 9, includingspring-actuated latches on the columns automatically latching the coverin the elevated position.

1l. In a protective cover apparatus for a swimming pool, the combinationof upright columns disposed respectively on two opposite sides of thepool, and supported at the ground line, inclined guide bars supported atthe ground line, inclined guide bars supported on the ground line andconnected at their upper ends to the adjacent sides of said columns,said inclined guide members having slots on their under sidesrespectively, a cover for the pool located over the pool in the spacebetween the side columns, and normally located adjacent the ground line,trolley-form carriages located respectively in the inclined guidemembers having shackles extending down through said slots, with theirlower portions off-set toward the sides of said cover and attached tothe same, said carriages having anti-friction rollers riding on thelower walls of said inclined guide members and pivotally `connected tosaid shackles, pulleys rotatably mounted in said columns adjacent theirjunction with the inclined guide members with cords passing over saidpulleys, the cords beyond said pulleys in said columns being disposed inloops respectively, counterweights hung in said loops respectively, andmeans for rotating said pulleys to raise or lower the carriages tochange the level of said cover.

12. In a protective cover and sunscreen apparatus for a swimming pool,the combination of side frame-members located on opposite sides of thepool, a cover located over the pool and between said side frame-members,cord suspension means for said cover including cord ends connected tothe said cover and pulleys around which the cords extend, said cordsincluding lloops below said pulleys respectively, .with an anchored runof each cord supported at an elevated point, and a counterweightsuspended in said loop exerting force in the cords for substantiallycounter-balancing the cover in an elevated position on said sideframe-members, water container means mounted in said cover with meansfor supplying water to lthe same for counter-acting the force of saidcounterweight, thereby causing the descent of the cover from itselevated position to about the ground level.

13. A protective cover and sun screen apparatus for a swimming pool,according to claim 12, including a water line with a exible connectiontherein connected to a water supply, said water line including a valvefor admitting water through the same to the water container means; andvalve means capable of being operatable at will to draw the water fromthe water container means when the connection to the water supply isshut ott.

14. In a protective cover and sunscreen for a swimming pool, thecombination of a screen composed of opaque fabric material capable ofoverlying the pool at about the ground line, frame means for guiding theside edges of the screen to an elevated position with the cover shiftedlongitudinally away from one end of the pool, thereby developingclearance for a swimmer diving into the pool at that end.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS998,506 Haggardt July 18, 1911 1,720,081 Kornsweet July 9, 19292,701,881 McGee Feb. 15, 1955 2,724,123 Kesler Nov. 22, 1955 2,754,899Karobonik et al. July 17, 1956 2,796,072 Smith June 18, 1957 2,820,635Herman Jan. 21, 1958 2,832,362 Critoph Apr. 29, 1958

